Convenience Stores Reduce Labor: Uni-President Saves 2 Million Hours Annually, FamilyMart Cuts Ordering Time by 75%
Ahead of Labor Day, convenience store giants Uni-President and FamilyMart revealed smart retail solutions like AI ordering and self-checkout that drastically reduce employee workloads and improve workplace environments.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 18:50
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 19:02 (11 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 19:11 (9 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(CNA Reporter Ho Hsiu-ling, Taipei, 23rd) Approaching May 1st Labor Day, convenience stores are not only striving for better sales but also aiming to reduce the workload for their employees. Uni-President (7-Eleven) stated that through smart tools like self-checkout, self-pickup, and AI ordering systems, stores can reduce working hours by nearly 2 million hours annually. FamilyMart pointed out that its AI ordering system can save over 75% of ordering time and, combined with self-service equipment and diverse childcare policies, optimizes the workplace environment.
Uni-President noted in a press release today that it reduces the workload of store employees through smart operations like self-pickup and fostering a friendly workplace. For self-pickup, it launched a "Self-Query EC (E-commerce) Parcel Locker" function. Consumers can first use the ibon or OPENPOINT APP to check their parcel's location, then proceed to the counter to check out and pick it up, reducing repeated queuing.
In addition, Uni-President recently tested a new "Micro Self-Pickup Warehouse" model that opens via QR CODE. Consumers can get a pickup QR CODE at the counter and go to the micro-warehouse to retrieve their items, increasing pickup speed by about 70%, saving 3 to 4 hours of sorting and searching time daily, and increasing parcel storage space.
Regarding self-checkout, Uni-President stated that over 13 million people use it annually. An "express member checkout" function will be added by the end of April, allowing members using icash Pay, OPEN Wallet, and icash 2.0 to cut checkout time by about 50%.
To promote a friendly workplace, Uni-President offers flexible working hours, childcare and family care support, and health programs for direct-store and back-office employees. Responding to the Taipei City Government's policy for childcare-friendly workplaces, it will trial a "reduced working hours for childcare without pay cuts" program from May 1 to July 31 this year.
FamilyMart told a CNA reporter that operationally, it introduced the "AI Fresh Food Recommended Ordering System" in 2022. By analyzing data like historical sales and weather, it automatically calculates suggested inventory, helping stores save over 75% of ordering time and reducing fresh food waste by more than 10%.
To relieve pressure on store staff, FamilyMart continues to promote self-service. About 700 stores have self-service microwaves, and 500 offer self-checkout functions, with the numbers continuing to expand.
Besides general items, self-checkout machines also support the purchase of FamilyMart's Let's Café, hot dogs, and tea eggs (which lack barcodes) and allow direct redemption of "buy now, pick up later" cross-store items, effectively diverting counter traffic and improving efficiency.
Addressing employees' childcare needs, FamilyMart stated it set up an employee daycare center last year to provide childcare support, helping employees balance work and family to further build a supportive and friendly workplace environment. (Editor: Chai Ssu-chia) 1150423
(CNA Reporter Ho Hsiu-ling, Taipei, 23rd) Approaching May 1st Labor Day, convenience stores are not only striving for better sales but also aiming to reduce the workload for their employees. Uni-President (7-Eleven) stated that through smart tools like self-checkout, self-pickup, and AI ordering systems, stores can reduce working hours by nearly 2 million hours annually. FamilyMart pointed out that its AI ordering system can save over 75% of ordering time and, combined with self-service equipment and diverse childcare policies, optimizes the workplace environment.
Uni-President noted in a press release today that it reduces the workload of store employees through smart operations like self-pickup and fostering a friendly workplace. For self-pickup, it launched a "Self-Query EC (E-commerce) Parcel Locker" function. Consumers can first use the ibon or OPENPOINT APP to check their parcel's location, then proceed to the counter to check out and pick it up, reducing repeated queuing.
In addition, Uni-President recently tested a new "Micro Self-Pickup Warehouse" model that opens via QR CODE. Consumers can get a pickup QR CODE at the counter and go to the micro-warehouse to retrieve their items, increasing pickup speed by about 70%, saving 3 to 4 hours of sorting and searching time daily, and increasing parcel storage space.
Regarding self-checkout, Uni-President stated that over 13 million people use it annually. An "express member checkout" function will be added by the end of April, allowing members using icash Pay, OPEN Wallet, and icash 2.0 to cut checkout time by about 50%.
To promote a friendly workplace, Uni-President offers flexible working hours, childcare and family care support, and health programs for direct-store and back-office employees. Responding to the Taipei City Government's policy for childcare-friendly workplaces, it will trial a "reduced working hours for childcare without pay cuts" program from May 1 to July 31 this year.
FamilyMart told a CNA reporter that operationally, it introduced the "AI Fresh Food Recommended Ordering System" in 2022. By analyzing data like historical sales and weather, it automatically calculates suggested inventory, helping stores save over 75% of ordering time and reducing fresh food waste by more than 10%.
To relieve pressure on store staff, FamilyMart continues to promote self-service. About 700 stores have self-service microwaves, and 500 offer self-checkout functions, with the numbers continuing to expand.
Besides general items, self-checkout machines also support the purchase of FamilyMart's Let's Café, hot dogs, and tea eggs (which lack barcodes) and allow direct redemption of "buy now, pick up later" cross-store items, effectively diverting counter traffic and improving efficiency.
Addressing employees' childcare needs, FamilyMart stated it set up an employee daycare center last year to provide childcare support, helping employees balance work and family to further build a supportive and friendly workplace environment. (Editor: Chai Ssu-chia) 1150423